Apple Nut Sandwich Weight Loss Snack

These Apple Sandwiches may look like a kid's treat, but trust me, adults will love it too! Especially if you are dieting and want to eat items that are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and good fats. Now don't get me wrong, if your kids love this snack then that's great too! Much better alternative to those french fries at McDonald's!

Ingredients:
1 apple-sliced into thin rounds
1-2 tbsp all natural peanut butter or almond butter
Handful of raisins
Drizzle of honey
Chopped walnuts or almonds
Cinnamon

1) Thinly slice the apple into 8 rounds.
2) Top 4 apple rounds with peanut butter, raisins, nuts and drizzle with a little honey.
3) Top each round with the other 4 apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Easy Snack Recipe: Frozen Nutty Banana Nibblers

Here is a really easy, really quick, and really cheap snack idea to help you stay on track with your diet. This is one of my personal my favorite #CleanEating snacks. And your kids will love these too!! (well those whole family to be exact!) 

If you love ice cream but don't indulge because the calories and fat just aren't worth it, the here's your healthy alternative... Frozen Nutty Banana Nibblers. This delicious-tasting treat is just over 160 calories per serving and offers 4.1 grams of fiber and 3.7 grams of protein, so you can feel good reaching for an extra nibbler or two. For an added bonus, they are a cinch to whip up, and since you can store them in the freezer, you'll have a go-to healthy dessert whenever your sweet cravings kick into high gear. 

Ingredients:
5 medium ripe bananas
1 tbsp. all natural creamy peanut butter
2 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

1) Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt.
2) Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices.
3) Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mixture on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches.
4) Place on a wooden cutting board or a plate and freeze for at least two hours.

Suja: Organic, Non-GMO, Cold-Pressured Fruit Juice Drink

I'm not one to drink much fruit juice or pre-made smoothies. There's always too many artificial ingredients or additives or they just taste way too sweet for my liking. When I received a coupon to try out Suja Essentials from BzzAgent, I decided why not try it out. I looked at the Suja Essentials — a line of organic and Non-GMO cold-pressured beverages. After browsing the flavors, which there's a wide variety to choose from, I settled on the Sunset Protein. This one contained 10g of vegan protein. Being a fitness fan, I'm always looking for new places to get my protein. so I popped the top and took a few sips. This dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free drink was very tasty and refreshing! I loved the vanilla, allspice and cinnamon flavor that really came through on each sip. This would make a great post-workout drink! 

I've since had the pleasure of trying Sunrise Probiotic, Berry Nana, and Berry Goodness. While all are great tasting, Berry Goodness is by far my favorite because I am a HUGE blackberry lover :) The amazing thing about these drinks it that I can literally taste about 90% of the ingredients individually. There's been too many times I'll pick up a drink that says it contains raspberry or blackberry, but I just can't taste it and it's disappointing. Not Suja. It's a mouthful of flavor and if you love juice, there's not way you won't love these drinks. 

While these drinks do not contain added sugar, you must be careful on how often you consume these. This is the only draw back. While eating/drinking natural sugar from fruits is definitely healthier that processed items, the sugar content of these drinks is 35+ grams per serving. So no binge drinking on these! LOL 

The Suja line of products is vast, check it out for yourself and pick one up from the fridge section by the produce in your local grocery store. http://www.sujajuice.com/

Which Suja Juice flavor is your favorite? 

Italian Sausage & Collezione Orecchiette Dinner

Ingredients:
1 Package Jennie-O Lean Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
1 Box Barilla Collezione Orecchiette (means "Little Ears" LOL)
1/2 Cup Red and Green Onion Chopped
1/4 Cup Red Onion Chopped
1/2 Cup Portabella Mushrooms Chopped 
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Chopped 

In a fry pan, sautee all veggies over medium heat in 1 tbsp olive oil. Broil all 5 sausages on the top rack for about 25 minutes, flipping half way through. Cook the pasta by following the directions on the box. Once the sausage is complete, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices and add to the veggies. Add the past once it's drained. Mix all together and wah-lah! You have an amazing Italian dinner in about 30 minutes. Top with Grated Parmesan Cheese and dinner is served.

I received the Barilla Collezione for free via a coupon from BzzAgent and the opinions expressed in this post are my own. #GotItFree #GotADiscount #BarillaPasta 

Avocado & Basil Pasta

If you're looking for an amazing recipe that will have your friends and family thinking you're a culinary genius, then you must try this Avocado & Basil Pasta. 

AVOCADO & BASIL PASTA
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
The easiest, most unbelievably creamy avocado & basil pasta you'll ever eat in only 20 min!

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces Barilla Collezione Casarecce Noodles
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can corn kernels, drained and rinsed
20 large shrimp
1/2 tablespoon butter

INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
2) Cook shrimp in 1 tablespoon lemon and 1/2 tablespoon butter on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. 
2) To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
3) In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn.
4) Serve and enjoy :)

#GotItFree #InspiredbyItaly