Detox Green Smoothie

I will keep this post short and sweet with a delicious recipe from The Glowing Fridge. I did alter the recipe since I was out of Almond milk but it still turned out very good. The celery and lemon really made the smoothie pop. Enjoy it for breakfast to detox and de-bloat!

P.S. you'll need a cup larger than 32 ounces to enjoy the entire smoothie at once. 

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of kale, spinach, etc.
1 medium cucumber (I always skin my cucumbers because I don't trust the cleanliness)
2 stalks of diced or chopped celery
1 skinned and halved lemon
1 banana
1 cup pineapple
2 tablespoons of chia seeds
2 cups of water

Directions:
Prepare all items (except the water) the night before and place in bowl/Ziploc. Put in the freezer and dump into blender in the morning. Add two cups of water and blend!

21 Day Fix Containers:
Green - 3 
Purple - 2.5 
Orange - 1


Enjoy!

Lowcountry Shrimp And Grits

I was talking to my sister a couple of weeks ago and mentioned how I was craving shrimp and grits. She couldn't believe people would actually put shrimp in their grits, as she likes sugar and butter, but I definitely reassured her that shrimp in grits is almost one of the best things she could probably try!

Being from Alabama I hadn't heard of shrimp and grits until I moved to Charleston, but boy have I had my share since moving. Each time I cook the delectable dish I prepare it a different way. This batch was probably my best batch thus far and I wanted to share it with you guys, because who couldn't benefit from a good shrimp and grits recipe?

Ingredients:
As much shrimp, okra, garlic and onion powder / seasonings as you prefer
Grits (I used instant)
8 ounces chicken broth
1 pint of light cream

Directions:
1. Prepare grits as directed on box, but substitute water for cream and broth. The more broth you use the "meatier" the grits will taste and the more cream you use the richer and creamier your grits will taste.
2. Prepare shrimp as directed on packaging
3. Once grits are almost finished toss in desired amount of okra and shrimp
4. Finish cooking grits, okra and shrimp until desired
5. Top with shredded cheddar cheese

Enjoy!

*Please note that the shrimp I used was also already peeled, deveined and cooked.

August Foodie Penpal Reveal

This month I got paired up with Ashley over at Raising Our Little Devil Pups. Her box was fantastic and all of her items came from her home state, Maine. I literally ate both bags of the almond pops while Nick was on the phone. I told myself I would save him a few to taste, but he took too long and I couldn't resist.

The waffle cookies were delicious with any kind of nut butter we had spread on top. Nick got the crab meat and sriracha peas.  We have yet to tackle the rice but will, soon enough, have it for dinner.

If you're interested in joining the Foodie Penpal nation simply click the photo below!

Thanks Ashley, it was all delicious!

Friday Favorite: InTown Charleston

Are you on a budget and want free items? Do you constantly enter giveaways? Well, I do too and that is why I love InTown.com Within the first couple of months I moved to Charleston I signed up so I would "be in the know on where to go."

Since I first liked their Facebook page I have won two awesome prizes that I wanted to thank them for in this post! So, my Friday Favorite goes out to InTown for hooking me up not once, but twice with awesome gifts!

1. I received two tickets to the Party at the Point and got to enjoy a nice afternoon with oysters!
2. I received a free order of fried mac and cheese or six wings from Bohemian Bull, a free taco from Mex 1 and $5 off Fear No Easel.

If you haven't checked them out and you live in Charleston you're behind the times! Definitely check out their Twitter and Facebook accounts in addition to signing up for their email notifications. You won't regret it and you can thank me later!

P.S. I CANNOT wait for the following event. I hope I win tickets to this event because it has my name written all over it; not to mention I squealed like a school girl when I saw this on their Facebook page!

Post by InTown.com.

*Please note there is no endorsement or sponsorship of this post and that I am purely writing out of satisfaction from this organization. 

Easy Greek Popsicles

Looking for a delicious yet healthy popsicle? Well, these Greek yogurt popsicles are a perfect fit. They're as easy as 1,2,3.

Why go grab froyo at expensive prices when you can have the "real" thing without all the added ingredients?

Items:

Large container of Greek yogurt (your preference)

Popsicle molds (this recipe will yield 4 popsicles)

Directions:

1. Place around 1/4 - 1/2 cup of yogurt in each mold. 

2. Freeze for several hours or overnight. 

Enjoy! 

Calories: 95      |   Total Fat: 0     |   Sugars: 13.5g    |   Protein: 8.5g 

*For easier popsicle removal run under warm water for 30 seconds to a minute and pull straight up on the stick. The popsicle should slide straight out and look flawless!

Homemade Baked Fries

Last night Nick and I had grilled turkey burgers, fries and delicious pickle spears! I knew when I woke up yesterday that I wanted homemade french fries, but I knew I had to find the perfect recipe because I don't like cooking fries at home for many reasons.
1. I don't fry at home.
2. I am very particular about my home-cooked fries. They always turn out too burnt or too raw; never just right.
3. If I buy pre-made fries we never eat all of them and they get freezer burn. Plus they're processed and I prefer not to cook processed foods.

So I researched some recipes and found the perfect one at Simple, Savory & Satisfying The fries were delicious, crispy and healthier than the processed fries you'd normally buy at the grocery store.

 
Ingredients: 

4 red potatoes
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Onion powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Steakhouse onion burger seasoning


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º
2. Wash potatoes, slice into fries and place into a mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle seasonings and oil onto fries and mix together.
4. Bake each side for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Knockoff Spicy Jack Wedges

Who likes O'Charley's? Who doesn't like all the calories that come with a delicious, mouth-watering meal there? Me too and that is why I decided to experiment and create my own healthier version of my favorite Spicy Jack Wedges!

They're crispy, spicy and healthier than the deep-fried counterpart!

Ingredients:
1 large egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 8-ounce package of pepper jack cheese
dash of red pepper/paprika

Directions:
1. Crack egg into a bowl and whisk, slice cheese into eight one-ounce slices and then cut diagonally so that each one-ounce slice is now consistent of two diagonal pieces. Thus the entire eight ounce package yields 16 wedges. Dip each wedge in the egg mixture.

2. In a separate bowl mix 1/3 cup of bread crumbs and your seasonings. Remove wedges from egg mixture and coat with bread crumbs.

3. Spray a cooking sheet and line each wedge on the sheet.

4. Cook on broil (4-6 inches from heat) for 5 minutes or until the wedges turn golden.

Notes: It is super hard to keep the cheese from baking out of the coating. I think these do taste great, but nothing can replace O'Charley's spicy jack wedges. These are a great replacement though! 

Tips from Dr. Oz

Things have been quite busy in my corner of the world so I have been very lackluster when it comes to posting. I have seen some great tips and tricks and I wanted to post one for my readers to enjoy!

I took this from Pop Sugar Fitness. Click here for the tips from Dr. Oz!

Friday Favorite: How I Lost 7 Pounds Fast

This week's Friday Favorite is the Military Diet. I posted about the diet yesterday and if you'd like to read the post click here.

I lost seven pounds in three days on this diet and I highly recommend it, especially if you're looking to lost water weight/weight fast. The third day is the hardest, but it was worth it. I am in a plateau state and this has helped me kick the plateau to the curb. Two days later and I still have all seven pounds off and hopefully will retain the seven pound loss over the weekend until I do a second week of this diet!

Military Diet: Lose Weight Fast

So you're looking to lose weight fast? Maybe to fit into a wedding gown, bridesmaids dress, swimsuit or even all of the above? I have you covered.

I read about this diet called the Military Diet several years ago and I saw it again over the weekend. I despise the word diet simply because all of my success has come from eating right and exercising on a regular basis. Diets aren't usually permanent nor are they healthy, but I did some research on this diet and decided I would try it.

1. It consisted of food that I would eat on a daily basis as is.
2. It had me eating roughly 1,000 calories a day and I only eat 1,586 a day so I figured I would go for it.
3. I have plateaued so hard you wouldn't believe and I found this as a good way to detox my body of the bad foods I put in it over the weekend. Who knows, since I will be doing this on a weekly basis until I feel the need to stop some of the pounds that I shed could stay off instead of being gained right back as in most diets.

My results were great and I will be doing this diet each week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays schedule permitting; otherwise, I will be doing it some three days of each week until I feel it isn't working or I simply don't want to do it anymore.

My results: 
Day 1: Lost 4 pounds 
Day 2: Lost 2 pounds 
Day 3: Lost 1 pound

Have a look at the diet here. You can view the Military Diet packet I put together in case you decide to try it for yourself. The packet is really worth a look.

The Military Diet packet contains:
1. A detailed chart of what to eat each day
2. A detailed shopping list of all your supplies
3. A photo guide of my progress
4. Additional comments and suggestions from me.
5. A notes section where you can write your own suggestions, substitutes, etc.

To download or view the packet click here.

Challenge Accepted: Can You Guess?

I have accepted a challenge for the next three days. Do you think you know what it is? If so comment below!

Hint: It has to do with weight loss. 

May Foodie Penpal Reveal

Today is the reveal of my May Foodie Penpal through The Lean Green Bean. This month I was paired up with Gloria and got some great goodies! 

She sent me some of her favorite food which was great because they were some of my favorites as well! 

If you'd like to join Foodie Penpal click the icon below!

Breakfast Smoothie

Are you looking for a great breakfast berry smoothie? Look no further! I enjoy these in the mornings when I am looking to log some delicious fruits and greens!

Enjoy!

Weight Loss Tip Sheet

I have had some readers interested in a tip sheet on what I think is important to lose weight so I created this tip sheet. Within this document you'll receive tips on how to start and continue your weight loss journey.

Click here to download the document!

Fudge Crumble

I found a recipe for the 50 Year Old Lunch Lady Brownies and decided to make my own batch. I have made these several times and have altered the preparation process each time. The way I choose to make this delectable dessert doesn't enable to brownies to set-up like a normal brownie so beware; they turn out more like a lava cake.

WARNING: this fudge crumble is not for the faint at heart and I only eat these on rare occasions! They're very high in calories, sugar, etc.

Ingredients: 

Brownie

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. This batter will be thick so don't worry. 

2. Pour into a well coated 9x13-inch pan. I use coconut butter to grease a glass pan. 

3. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes (depending on how gooey you like your brownie to be). 

4. When done remove from oven and generously poke holes throughout the cake. 

5. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the icing. 

Icing

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients until a frosting texture is created. 

2. Pour over the brownies ensuring icing seeps into the holes you just created. 

3. Let the icing soak into the brownies and repeat until icing is completely gone. 

Enjoy! 

Servings: 12

Non-iced calories: 374 per brownie 

Iced calories: 534 

*If you would like a Mint Fudge Crumble simply add a few drops of mint extract to the icing and there you go! 

Foodie Penpal

Here is what I got in my first month of doing the Lean Green Bean's Foodie Penpal program. If you're interested in joining for May you need to click the button below to get signed up because it ends at 9 p.m. EST tonight!  

--> If you're interested in joining the Foodie Penpal program please click here!

Foodie Penpal Reveal

April 2014 Foodie Penpal Reveal Day

This was my first month to participate in The Lean Green Bean's Foodie Penpal program. I was really excited when I first read about it and couldn't wait to be paired with my match; my match was Molly from Pennsylvania! I didn't realize how hard it would be to convey what I like and what I didn't like until I needed to let her know. I gave her a very vague list and when I received the package it was like she had known exactly what I really wanted! She definitely did not disappoint! 

The card was very sweet and gave some personal insight as to why she chose what she did. Thanks, Molly, I appreciated such a sweet card! 

The first things to go:

1. That was gone within the first night. 

2. Eaten by the next day. 

7. Eaten for dinner the night I received the box!

8. We sprinkle this on most of our food. We tried it in eggs and it is actually quite delicious! 

4. Finished the jar off at work the following week. 

We are still working on eating all the goodies Molly sent my way! If you'd like to visit her blog please click here.

--> If you're interested in joining the Foodie Penpal program please click here!

I can't wait to get my match for next month! 

What Do Cravings Mean

Learn to kick the cravings you have most by these simple substitutions!

We all tend to crave things once in a while, but did you know the cravings are actually our body's way of telling us we are missing something? Well it is and here are some common cravings that can be kicked by substituting certain foods into our diet in place of the craved items.

Colorful Deviled Eggs

Looking for an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the bland deviled eggs? Look no further! Here is my recipe for colorful and delicious deviled eggs.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
Medium-sized saucepan
Dozen eggs
Water
Dash of Baking Soda
Kraft Mayonnaise with Olive Oil (specific brand I use)
Mustard
Relish
Garlic
Paprika
Food coloring
Three medium-sized bowls

Directions:
1. Fill the saucepan halfway with water, sprinkle some baking soda in the mix, place all the eggs in the pan, place on the stovetop and turn onto high.
2. Take it to a rolling boil and turn down to medium heat and boil for 8 minutes.
3. Once boiled for 8 minutes turn stovetop off and let sit for another 5-10 minutes.
4. Pour remainder of water out and replace with cold tap water and let sit until cooled enough to peel.
5. Once all eggs are peeled start slicing each egg lengthwise (removing yolk and placing in a bowl).
6. Once all eggs are sliced put food coloring in separate bowls and add a cup of water (follow directions on package to obtain preferred color).
7. Steep egg slices in each color until the egg is at preferred color and remove.
8. Rinse egg slices and place on a serving tray as they are finished.
9. While eggs are steeping in color, add mustard, mayo, garlic and relish to the yolk and mix until creamy. I don't measure my ingredients out because I can eye when I've reached the correct amount.
10. Once all egg slices are colored and rinsed, scoop the yolk mixture into the slices and put in fridge until you're ready to serve.

Note: To create a better yolk design you can use icing tips or a simple sandwich bag with the tip cut off to create designs. 

Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownie

Healthy Mint Chocolate Strawberry Covered Brownie

As most of you know I have a sweet tooth, but I try to stay on the healthier side of the dessert spectrum. In honor of the Strawberry Festival Nick and I are going to at Boone Hall Plantation today, I made the following dish. I first got the idea from one of my favorite food blogs Jelli Bean Journals. 

With this recipe I simply made healthier brownies (from a box) and added a healthy chocolate covered strawberry to the top.

A) Did you know you can make your own hard shell chocolate sauce with two ingredients?
B) Did you know you can substitute oil and eggs for an avocado and water in brownies?

Well, check my recipe below to get the dish!

Brownie Recipe

Box of brownie mix
Avocado
1/3 cup of water

1. Pour brownie mix into mixing bowl.
2. Smash one avocado into the mix.
3. Add 1/3 cup of water and stir with spoon about 50 times.
4. Bake brownies as directed on box.


Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
dash of mint extract (optional)

1. Pour coconut oil into bowl
2. Dump coco into the oil
3. Splash some mint extract in the mix
4. Mix all ingredients
5. Wash strawberries and place on plate
6. Drizzle chocolate sauce on strawberries
7. Place strawberries in freezer for 10-15 minutes
8. Place on top of your brownie

Enjoy!