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

Secret Outlast: Must-Have for Any Chick

I sweat... a lot! And sometimes my deodorant just doesn't do it's job. Well that used to be the case until I tried Secret Outlast® Completely Clean Clear Gel. Finding the right deodorant can be time consuming and I had given up until I received a free sample of this gel. It goes on smooth, dries quickly, smells great, lasts all day, and doesn't stain my clothing! Could I ask for anything else? 

Being a fitness chick, I needed something that could hold up during my workouts. Now, I never leave home without my gym bag and my new favorite must-have: Secret Outlast. It fights through even my toughest sweat sessions, leaving me smelling fresh and no embarrassing white stuff on my shirts. Now I only have to concentrate on knocking out the weights and not whether the girl next to me can smell me... 

Have you tried Secret Outlast Clear Gel? 

Turn Housework into a Workout

I'm in the process of trying to pack and move in hopes of selling my house in the coming weeks and I find that my arms and legs have been slightly sore. This got me thinking about ordinary life chores can really be a good workout if performed correctly (of course!). It's recommended to get about 150 minutes of cardio each week, and to some this number may seem high. But just think about the housework you do each week. Some of it consists of moderate intensity work. And one study showed women perform 143 minutes of housework each work. This is where multitasking comes in... Make the most of the household chores to not only clean up but to also tone up!

Vanilla Honey Protein Dip

Drinking a protein shake can be awesome when you find a great tasting powder. But after so many days in a row of downing a drip, it's fun to mix up the ways in which you can consume your protein powder. There are so many simple and delicious recipes to do just that. This recipe incorporates Image Sports Weight Loss Whey in Vanilla Graham Cracker. This isn't your ordinary protein powder... Along with 22g of protein, Weight Loss Whey contains CLA, Carnitine and Green Coffee Bean, all ingredients known for promoting weight loss. This Vanilla Honey Protein Dip is a must-try! 

Vanilla Honey Protein Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup FAGE Total 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

1 scoop Image Sports Weight Loss Whey

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and place in a serving bowl. Serve with pita, pretzels, bread or your favorite cracker.

What's your favorite way to "Whey"? 

Weight-Loss Bikini Pic That Went Viral

I'm not gonna lie, I did cringe a little. And yes, I feel bad for doing it. But why do you think magazines are littered with gorgeous models, or why Abercrombie & Fitch bags have lean, ripped hotties? Because we like looking at attractive and sexy beings. So it's only natural to not feel "good" when looking at saggy skin. But the more I thought about it, I realized that if I were in Brooke Birmingham's shoes, I would feel damn good and proud and want to flaunt my new body. This made me think about my own weight loss. I am still not "skinny" in the world of fitness or modeling, but when I lost 35lbs I wanted to flaunt my new look in skimpy clothing and swim suits.

My Switch to a FitBit Flex

So you may have read my post about the Fitbit Force and how much I loved it. Well that was written before the voluntary recall. Now you can't even purchase that model. They pulled them all from the shelves and are revamping it. I guess it was causing a skin rash or burn where the charging port touched the top of you wrist. I never had any issues with it and made the choice to keep mine. A couple weeks ago, I lost mine!! I was so upset and didn't realize just how much I relied on this little device to help me with daily goals.