It's been a long time since I've been able to get on here and post some yummy recipes! I've been so busy the past 6 months, but I'm back and ready to get cooking'!

These energy bites are jam-packed with protein and deliciousness. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kashi 7 whole grain puffs
• 2 tablespoons slithered almonds
• 2 tablespoons cashew halves
• 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 cup pitted dates, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a cake-pop baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix all the ingredients together really well. Form them into perfectly round 1.5-inch balls. Place in baking pan and then in the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool before handling them. 

This is pretty much the best caesar salad I've ever had and you wouldn't even believe how healthy it is! Not to mention there aren't any eggs or anchovies in the dressing (your welcome). You will absolutely love this recipe, guaranteed :).  This recipe makes 4 servings. 

Ingredients for Salad:

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

4 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Croutons:


4 slices whole wheat 50-calorie toast

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for dressing:

1 cup Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp Six Pepper blend 

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a flat baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Slice the four pieces of toast into 1 inch cubes to make the croutons. Lay the croutons flat onto the pan making sure they don't touch each other. Spray the top of the toast with more non-stick cooking spray and then sprinkle on the 2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese trying to get it on top of each crouton. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until they turn golden brown. To make the dressing, simply place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend on high until everything is mixed in really well. To assemble the salad, place the romaine lettuce into a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle on the 4 tbsp of shaved parmesan and top with the croutons. It's amazing :). 

I know I've posted a few recipes for oatmeal pancakes already, but these are definitely my favorite out of the bunch! They cooked so perfectly and taste amazing! I drizzled some homemade date syrup which is also another favorite of mine from my blog but I'll go ahead and repost the recipe for that since it's so simple and delicious :).  Prepared my way, each pancake is around 80 calories without the fruit or syrup. 

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashion oats

1 tbsp baking powder

2 packets Splenda

1 pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 whole eggs

1 cup almond/coconut milk blend

1 medium ripe banana

1/4 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup water

In a high-speed blender, add all of the dry ingredients; oats, baking powder, salt, and Splenda. Blend until it forms a flour. Add the milk, eggs, vanilla, and banana and blend on high for about another minute or so until it forms a batter, which will still be slightly lumpy. Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and turn the fire to medium-low. Pour the batter into the skillet, forming what ever size pancake you prefer. I used about 1/3 of a cup of batter per pancake. Let cook until bubbles form, and flip to cook the other side. The recipe will make around 9 pancakes using 1/3c batter per pancake. Serve with fresh fruit of your choice. For the syrup, simply add the pitted dates and water to  a small pot and cook on medium fire until a syrup forms, stirring occasionally. If the syrup is too thick simply add more water until you get the consistency you're looking for. 

The name of this dish is very confusing and doesn't match up to the photo what so ever.. I mean, since when are sloppy Joe's healthy? And why are these made with chicken? And are those wraps instead of buns? Yup, these are my super delicious and healthy twist on your old fashioned sloppy Joe. My neighbor actually inspired me to make this dish. He yelled from his driveway, literally, "Lena! I just ate sloppy Joes!". I thought to myself, and out loud, I haven't had that since I was 7. So naturally, I walked into my house and cooked up this heavenly storm. I made it in the slow cooker which is just my bestest of all best friends lately. My husband and I ate this all day long and then some. 

2 lbs chicken thighs or breast

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp six pepper spice

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tbsp siracha

1 cup reduced-fat feta

Place all of the ingredients, except for the feta cheese, into the crock pot and let cook for 6 hours. Using a large fork, mix everything up really well so that the chicken shreds into little pieces. When you're ready to serve it, toss in the feta and mix it in with the chicken. Serve with whole wheat wraps of your choice. The wraps I used are called Flat Out. 

Bet you didn't think this was possible... My husband seems to think that he can eat 8 of these in one sitting because they're only 50 calories. Well, that does 2 things.. 1) leaves the rest of us with no brownies, and 2) leaves the rest of us with no freaking brownies. So I will be making 5 more batches to satisfy everyone. These are so light and moist, and they're the perfect substitute to regular brownies which are completely loaded with butter, sugar, flour, and more. I'm in love with these little treats and I know you will be too :)

3/4 cup nonfat Fage greek yogurt 

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup Cocoa powder

1/2 cup Old fashioned Quaker Oats

1/3 cup Granulated baking Splenda

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a blender, add all of the ingredients except the chocolate chip morsels. Blend on high until smooth. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" by 9" baking pan with butter. Pour in the mixture and evenly spread it out. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Once completely cooled, cut into 9 equal squares and serve. P.S. they taste unbelievable when you pop them in the microwave for a few seconds before indulging :).

Boy oh boy was this absolutely delicious. Such a light treat, perfect for those late night cravings when you're trying to stay away from carbs. I didn't add any rice to this roll but I'm planning on experimenting with brown rice rolls very soon. I can't wait! But for now, you guys seriously have GOT to try this. My husband scarfed it down the second I was done taking the photo.. now I know that next time I need to make 4 servings instead of 1. I didn't realize how yummy this would be. 

Ingredients:

2 english cucumbers, peeled

1/2 pack flaked crabmeat, chopped

2 medium carrots, shredded into long and thinslices

1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced

1 tbsp light miracle whip

1/2 tbsp siracha 

Peel the cucumbers and slice thin pieces down its length to make strips. They should be thin enough to be flexible when you roll them but thick enough to be sturdy and not break. Once you've made all your strips, roll each one leaving a generous hole in the center for the stuffing and pierce through with a tooth pick to maintain it. When you push the toothpick through, try to remain close to the edge of the cucumber so that it doesn't block you from filling them. Peel the carrots, and thinly slice them down their length. I used a vegetable peeler to shred them and then sliced the shredded strips in half. It really doesn't matter how you do it, you could even use store-bought shredded carrots. If you buy the crab meat flaked, it should come in strips which is perfect to use when making sushi. I just cut each strip into three separate pieces about an inch long . Take a little bit of each ingredient, carrots, crab, and avocado, and tuck them into the cucumber rolls, stuffing them to their max. When every roll is stuffed, make the spicy mayo. Put the light miracle whip and siracha into the corner of a zip lock bag and mash it together really well. Cut off the tip of the edge of the bag and squeeze out the spicy mayo over all of the rolls. I sprinkled oregano and six pepper spice on top of everything when I was done and it gave it a nice little kick. Serve it with some soy sauce and the remaining spicy mayo in a side dish. 

Finally! Something besides chicken is being served in my house tonight! This is a miracle, considering the fact that my husband insists on chicken for dinner every.. single.. day.. I'm thinking seafood for the next 2 weeks. I'm just not sure how well that will play out, but we shall see ;) This dish is finger-licking good. Campari tomatoes are one of my favorites! They're like giant cherry tomatoes and are so sweet and delicious. The dill mixed with the feta is such a great combination, I love experimenting with herbs. 

Ingredients

1 lb campari tomatoes, quartered

1 lb raw jumbo shrimp, thawed, peeled & deveined

1 large spanish onion, sliced and halved

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp minced fresh dill

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tbsp salt

dash of six pepper spice

3/4 cup fat free feta

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on med-high for about a minute and toss in the sliced onions. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until it gives off a nice fragrance. Add the campari tomatoes and once it starts to simmer, lower the heat and cook until the tomatoes soften and burst open (about 10 minutes). Turn off the heat and mix in the parsley, dill, salt, six pepper spice, oregano, and fat free feta. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the tomato-onion mixture on the bottom. Layer the top with the raw shrimp, pressing them down slightly into the mixture. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the shrimp has turned pink. Make sure not to over cook! 

I've been completely obsessed with my slow-cooker lately. It's just the easiest way to make dinner. I throw all of my ingredients in the pot, turn it on while I'm sleeping, and dinner is ready in the morning. I know it's a weird time to have dinner ready but I'm just not comfortable leaving the crockpot plugged in when I'm not home. So when I wake up, I let the food cool down and pop it in the fridge. Then I take it out when I get home from work and voila! Also, it helps that I buy my chicken in bulk, clean & disinfect it all and then freeze it. So, when I'm ready to use it I don't have to worry about cleaning it. This dish is SO easy to make, I didn't have to wait for the chicken to defrost, I just threw it in the with the rest of the ingredients and it thaws out while it's cooking and just shreds on it's own overnight. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried beans (pinto or kidney), soaked overnight in warm water

1 lb chicken thighs, cleaned & frozen

1 large spanish onion, sliced

8 cups water

1 tbsp cumin

3/4 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp six pepper spice

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

Put the soaked beans, water, salt, cumin, pepper, and onions into the slow cooker. Turn it on high, and leave it running over night (7-8 hours). Uncover and add the tomato paste & cherry tomatoes. Stir everything in really well and enjoy :)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt 

1 cup water

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tsp mashed garlic

1 tbsp crushed, dried mint

2 cups cucumber slices

1 tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, water, salt, garlic, and dried mint, and whisk together really well. Toss in the cucumber slices and stir. Sprinkle more mint on top and drizzle with olive oil. 

Ingredients:

1 cup cucumber  

1 cup Greek yogurt 

1 cup blueberries 

1/2 cup ice 

1/2 cup coconut milk

Simply place everything into a blender and blend on high until smooth 

The fact that these are low calorie doesn't mean that they're healthy! But versus other blubbery muffins these are a great substitute. Now here's the thing, if you really want a low calorie muffin, don't make them as big as they are here. Meaning, fill your muffin cups up 1/2 of the way (or 2/3) with batter rather than over filling it. I just think they're prettier with a muffin top, but I consider each muffin as 2 servings.

Did some research and found tips and tricks on how to get the perfect muffin top: 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and then reduce the temperature to 375 as soon as the muffin pan goes in . Initial high heat reacts with baking powder to give a nice rise the first few minutes of baking. 
•  Eggs, blueberries, bananas, buttermilk, and applesauce should all  be room temperature when they go into preparing the batter
• Get the muffin pan with the batter in the oven as soon as possible!

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free unbleached flour

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large and ripened banans, mashed

1/3 cup apple sauce

3 tbsp low-fat buttermilk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg, slightly whisked

1 cup fresh blueberries 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cupcake liners into a muffin pan and grease them with nonstick cooking spray (butter flavor). Sprinkle some extra flour onto the greased paper liners to make sure the muffins don't stick. In a mixing bowl, add both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, and whisk together really well.  In a separate bowl, add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, egg, applesauce, mashed bananas, and light brown sugar, and mix together really well (remember to only begin making batter when your ingredients have gotten to room temperature). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix and incorporate lightly, don't over mix the batter. If you notice your batter isn't thick, add more flour, if it's too thick add a little buttermilk. You can play with the recipe to get it to your liking. I prefer a thicker batter versus a runny one. In another bowl, add the fresh blueberries and cover them with about a tablespoon of flour (preventing the batter from turning purple). Add the blueberries into the batter and slightly fold them in. Fill each muffin cup as much as you can if you want a high rise muffin. If you're looking for a reasonable serving size I suggest filling it 1/2 way. Place the pan in the oven and then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Cook for 15-20 minutes, all depending on how much batter is in each muffin, 

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants (about 3 cups)

2 large cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup tahini paste

1/2 cup lemon juice

Using a knife, poke 3 separate holes into each eggplant, to prevent bursting. Place the 2 eggplants, with the peel still on, in a broil-safe dish and broil with open flame in the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Mash the garlic really well, and place in a mixing bowl. Add the salt, tahini paste, and lemon juice to the garlic and mix until it thickens and is uniform in color. When the eggplants are done broiling, remove them from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Slice off the tips, and discard the peel, and put them into a wide dish. Add the tahini-lemon mixture and mash together using a fork or a potato masher. Plate it nicely and drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil & top with fresh mint. 

This beautiful dish speaks for itself. My husband and brother couldn't stop eating it. They both agreed, and I quote, that it was the best pasta they've ever had. I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I kind of have to agree with them! It's so light, but so decadent. The flavors don't overpower the dish and it's just the best combination ever!

Ingredients:

1 package Angel Hair

1 large bunch asparagus

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup shredded Romano cheese

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

salt, to taste

Place the angel hair pasta in a deep pot, cover with water, and allow it to boil for 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is done. Dump it into a colander and strain. Remove the ends of the asparagus and discard. Steam the asparagus for 7-10 minutes, leaving it still somewhat crunchy, let cool, and chop into large pieces. In a mixing bowl, add the pasta, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, romano cheese, red onion, cilantro, and preferred amount of salt. Mix it all together really well, and serve. 

If you like mediterranean food you're going to fall in love with this dish. This combination of flavors is mouth-watering and SO delicious! I used dark meat chicken for this recipe because it's obviously much juicier than white meat and it adds more flavor to the dish. The olives I used here are Kalamata olives, but you could also get away with using green, pimento, stuffed, etc. I served it on a bed of fresh baby spinach but you could also toss in some spinach while the dish is cooking and let it wilt. 

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken thighs, fat removed

1 tsp salt, or more if preferred

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried minced parsley

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2  cup pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the olive oil in  a frying pan on medium fire. Lay the chicken thighs flat in the pan and cook until meat is no longer pink, flipping occasionally. While it cooks, add the salt, pepper, red pepper, cumin, & parsley and coat both sides of the chicken really well. When the chicken is done and beginning to brown, add the tomatoes and the pitted olives and cook on low heat until the tomatoes soften but before they burst. Serve on a bed of fresh baby spinach and enjoy. 

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp tahini paste
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• salt, to taste

Blend until smooth, garnish with paprika & Parsley