Banana-blueberry Fiber Muffins

I've been making these muffins for the past few months and I must say, they are the most delicious things for breakfast or a snack! They are sweet, but not too sweet, and perfectly moist. The recipe is quick & easy and the muffins themselves are full of fiber and only 155 calories, making them a healthy alternative to those sinful treats at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kellogg's All-Bran Bran Buds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat milk)
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup olive oil (or canola oil)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour)
• 2 1/2 tsps baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar/sweetener (I use Sun Crystals)
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 2/3 cup fresh blueberries

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 395°.
2. In a large bowl, let the bran cereal absorb the milk.
3. In a small bowl, mash up the bananas.
4. Add the bananas to the cereal mixture.
5. Add the oil and egg, beat well.
6. Add in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
7. Fold in the blueberries.
8. Line or grease a muffin pan, divide batter (about 3/4 full).
9. Bake for about 25 minutes, test with a toothpick to make sure they are done.

They are delicious both hot or at room temp. At breakfast, I like to top mine with a little natural peanut butter and chia seeds for some added protein (and because peanut butter is my weakness).

Nutrition info (per muffin):

• 155 calories
• 7g total fat
• 5.7g fiber
• 8.5g sugar
• 3g protein

This recipe was adapted from Fuss Free Cooking.

Chocolate Chia Seed Yogurt

Want a delicious, sweet breakfast that will fill you up?
Try this chocolate chia seed yogurt. I was full before I even finished the bowl.
That's what's so great about chia seeds; they fill you up fast!

Recipe:

• 6oz of greek non-fat plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tbs of chia seeds
• 1 tbs Hershey's special dark chocolate powder 
• 1/3 tbs light agave nectar (if you'd like it a little more sweet)  

Mix all the ingredients together and let it sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of a half hour. The chia seeds will soak up the liquids, making it a thicker consistency. If you let it sit overnight, it will be even better!

I topped mine with a tablespoon of Teddy Peanut Butter with Flaxseed and a half of a banana. Some other great toppings would be strawberries and walnuts or you can always just eat it on it's own!

Nutrition info (with toppings):

• 320 calories
• 12g fat
• 25g protein
• 9g fiber
• 42% of daily calcium

Vegetable Side Dish: Baked Summer Veggies

This may be a side, but I could probably eat this dish as my main course! I love fresh vegetables and I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my meals. I recently made eggplant caponata and had some leftover kalamata olives from the recipe (which I got from Elana's Pantry). I decided to take all of the veggies I had in the fridge and bake them up with the olives! This side-dish is very simple, but perfect to accompany some chicken on the grill or any other summer meal.


This recipe calls for:
2 small zucchinis (or one large)
one summer squash
1 cup of sliced baby portobello mushrooms
10 spears of asparagus
2 cups green beans
1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons kalamata olives (chopped)
a handful of basil (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

• Heat the oven to 375°
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large ovenproof dish
  
• Bake for 45 mins to an hour
• Sprinkle with parmesan for a little extra flavor

Blueberry-ginger detox smoothie!

RECIPE!
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 banana, frozen
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup ice cubes

 After a day (or two) ending with a night on the couch, spoon and peanut butter jar in hand, I decided to take it upon myself to do a little detoxing. I had recently purchased some fresh ginger and frozen blueberries, so I figured the combination was perfect for a little bit of a cleanse! 

This smoothie is rich in antioxidants from the blueberries and full of fiber from the banana and chia seeds. Chia seeds are one of my favorite thing to throw into almost everything. They are full of calcium and omega-3, but what makes them so great is that they expand up to 12 times their weight, keeping you feeling full for longer. Fresh ginger is also a great ingredient to add to any recipe if you have an upset stomach or are having any gastrointestinal problems. 

 Try out this smoothie the next time you're feeling like you need a little cleanse!

4 sweet snack ideas for your mid-day cravings!

Being healthy doesn't mean cutting yummy snacks out of your diet! Snacking helps sustain your energy throughout the day and can aid in weight-loss by preventing over-eating at meals. Before reaching for something packed with refined sugars when you're craving something sweet, try one of these snack ideas that will not only delight your sweet tooth, but are also full of protein to keep you feeling satisfied for hours!

• Whole wheat bagel-thin; one half with non-fat cream cheese & strawberries and the other half with all natural peanut butter 16g protein

• Greek yogurt parfait (I prefer Chobani) add your choice of fruit and choose a granola that is low in sugar 19g protein

•  Green smoothie using 1 cup ice, 1 banana, 2 cups of spinach, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 4 large strawberries 8g protein

• Cottage cheese with fruit of your choice, a drizzle of agave nectar, and a dash of cinnamon 10g protein

Hello blogger!

This is my introduction post to let you in on a little bit of my life. My name is Lauren and I am a fitness dedicated foodie. After scrolling through fitness blog after fitness blog and posting a countless number of pictures of my meals on instagram, I have decided to start my own fitness and food blog!

First off: I. Love. Food. So much. I love eating, cooking, baking, going out to eat, finding new restaurants, trying new foods, making up recipes. If it involves food...I'm in. After gaining weight and having some stomach problems last year, I decided to make a change and take charge of my life. So, I started off with a fitness regimen consisting of cardio and pilates. However, as far as my diet went, I was stuck eating bland salads day-after-day and was not satisfied. This resulted in me binging on everything my body was craving. After doing quite a lot of research on various blogs, I have now maintained a healthy balance of clean (but delicious!) eating and an anything-but-boring fitness routine. Leading a healthy life has so many benefits. I have more energy, more motivation, and a better self image.

I have many goals to reach as far as my fitness goes. I want to continue to build muscle and trim down body fat. I want to be able to run a 5k and hold advanced yoga poses for minutes on end. There's so many things! But this blog isn't about those goals or my personal progress.

This blog will contain healthy recipes, snack ideas, weight loss ideas, and workouts. Even if one person finds this blog helpful towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle of their own, I will be a very happy lady!