Peaches 'n Cream Smoothie

Peaches 'n Cream Smoothie

Ahhh, summertime! The best time of the year! One thing that is great about summer is the amazing quality of local fruit! This summertime smoothie is super light and tasty for the perfect breakfast or snack!

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen peaches

1 container Light & Fit vanilla Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup Tropicana Trop 50 orange juice

1/2 cup Silk light vanilla almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp honey (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. 

(If more sweetness desired, add honey. If thinner consistency is desired, add more orange juice or almond milk.) Enjoy!

"Zoodles" with Avocado Cream Sauce

"Zoodles" with Avocado Cream Sauce

I'm so obsessed with zoodles! They are the perfect substitution for pasta, not to mention, low-cal, gluten free, and vegan! They are super easy to make using any julienne peeler or spiralizer! I got my Veggetti spiralizer for about $15 at Bed Bath & Beyond and I love it!

This recipe combines my love for avocado and my new Zoodle obsession! This recipe is super creamy even though it doesn't contain any dairy!

Note: If you have a more picky crowd (like my boyfriend) and don't care about the meat, dairy, and grains, use the sauce recipe and add it to whole wheat pasta. Also, you can top it with shrimp or chicken breasts and fresh-grated cheese! Yummy and still healthy!

Ingredients:

2-3 large zucchini, julienned

OR 2 cups whole wheat pasta 

2 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup fresh basil + more for garnish 

1 clove garlic

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup almond milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Roma tomato, diced 

Non-vegan option: top with sautéed shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, or grated Parmesan 

Directions:

1. Sautée julienned zucchini in large fry pan with 1 tbsp olive oil until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain excess juices from pan. 

OR 

1. Boil pasta in water according to package. Cook until tender. Drain and rinse. 

2. In food processor, combine avocado, basil, garlic lemon juice and almond milk. Pulse until smooth. Add more almond milk if thinner consistency is desired. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Toss warm zoodles/pasta with diced tomatoes and sauce. Garnish with fresh basil or other optional toppings. Enjoy!

Bruschetta "Zoodle" Pasta Salad

Bruschetta "Zoodle" Pasta Salad

Well, it's officially BBQ season here in Chicago! So excited for the nice summer weather! However, with the nice temperatures comes smaller outfits and bathing suits. Don't ruin your healthy eating in the summer! Here's a great side dish for grillin' season. This recipe is fresh, light, and low-cal! Also, it's vegetarian and gluten-free...BONUS!

Ingredients:

2-3 large zucchini

2 tbsp. olive oil (seasoned if possible)

1 Roma tomato, diced 

6 small marinated mozzarella balls, quartered

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. balsamic glaze/balsamic reduction

Directions:

1. Using a spiralizer or julienne peeler, cut zucchini in to thin, noodle-sized pieces. 

2. For soft, pasta-like zoodles, sautée zucchini in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let chill, and stain excess juices before assembling salad.

3. For crisp zoodles, toss zucchini in 1 tbsp. oil. 

4. Add tomatoes, cheese, and basil to zoodles and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Drizzle salad with balsamic and garnish with basil leaves. Let chill atleast 30 min before serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Avocado Tuna Salad

Spicy Avocado Tuna Salad

Now that it's beginning to get warm out (finally), this has become my new lunch go-to! This recipe is super quick and easy, not to mention tasty. At only 200 calories per serving this makes a perfect lunch or snack on the go. I like to enjoy my tuna salad on a 100 calorie sandwich thin or with pepper jack flavored nut thin crackers. 

Spicy Avocado Tuna Salad

Ingredients:

1 2.7 oz. to-go can chunk white tuna in water, drained

1 container wholly guacamole mini 100 calorie packs

1 tsp Siracha hot sauce

1/8 cup green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Mix tuna and guacamole together until well combined. 

2. Drizzle with Siracha and top with green onions. Enjoy!

Skinny Jalapeño Ranch

Skinny Jalapeño Ranch

Usually I am not a huge ranch fan. I know it is totally defying my Midwest roots to dislike the stuff, but I think it just makes everything else taste like ranch and I want to taste the other flavors. However, we have a wonderful Chicago pizza chain we like to order from when we feel like splurging and they have amazing jalapeño ranch. It completely changed my mind about ranch. I wanted to put it on everything. However, slathering veggies and chicken with fattening ranch kind of ruins the health incentive. So I found a way to lighten up this yummy dressing for all the flavor without the cals! I hope you love it as much as I do! 

Skinny Jalapeño Ranch

Ingredients:

1 fresh jalapeño pepper, chopped (de-seeded if you want less spice)

1 7 oz. can sliced jalapeno peppers, juice drained

1 bottle light ranch

Directions:

1. In food processor or blender, add fresh and canned jalapeños. Blend until smooth consistency. 

2. Slowly add the light ranch, mixing every time, until well combined. 

3. Pour mixture in to jar or container and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Pepper & Corn Soup

It's almost sweet corn season here in the Midwest! I couldn't wait to share this recipe with you guys! I am obsessed with this soup! It's hearty, creamy and spicy all at the same time. Yummy!

Spicy Pepper & Corn Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil

2 jalapeños, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

4 ears sweet corn (if in a pinch use 1/2 bag frozen corn)

2-3 cups veggie or chicken stock 

Juice of 1 lime 

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced 

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

For garnish: cilantro leaves, sliced avocado 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pan. Add peppers and onions and sautée on medium for 4-5 minutes. 

2. Remove corn kernels from the cob and add to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add broth, lime juice, salt, and cilantro and simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat and transfer soup in to blender. Blend until smooth. 

5. Return to pan and add yogurt. Stir on low heat for about 2 minutes or until yogurt is all mixed in. 

6. Ladle in to bowls and top with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro. 

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Oh how yummy hummus is! And most people don't realize that it's super easy to make at home! The whole recipe costs way less than buying hummus from the store. I decided not to add tahini to my hummus because I am not a huge fan of the taste, but feel free to add some to yours if you'd like! So grab your food processor and pita and enjoy this yummy recipe!

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, whole, peeled 

1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

Pita or chips for dipping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place garlic on pan and roast at 350 for 15 min. 

2. Combine all ingredients, including the roasted garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add more olive oil or a bit of water if necessary. 

3. Garnish with a few drops of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano. Enjoy!