Fat-Burning Chickpea muffins

Is stubborn belly fat one of your most bothersome body problems? I know it's mine!! Besides everywhere else - lol BUT.... there is hope for us fatty's yet! We can beat the bulge in just 7 days by adding one cup of beans to every meal! 

Beans, like chickpeas, contain soluble fiber, which works to lower the inflammation that causes belly fat. Start your day off right with this belly fat-blasting breakfast muffin. 

Savory Mac & Cheese "Muffins" with Spinach

O............M..............G!!      LOOKEY WHAT I FOUND! 

Oh, how I love homemade macaroni & cheese! Unfortunately, I love it so much that I rarely make it for fear that I will lose all portion control abilities and end up eating far more than I planned. And then comes....The Mac & Cheese Muffin!! 

I'm so flippin excited right now - I can't pound my keyboard fast enough to get this out to you to share!!

These individual sized portions of creamy, cheesy pasta are the perfect solution to satiate your cravings without going overboard. Two of them for dinner with a side salad and you can be happily satisfied. 

I think one would also make a perfect side dish to chicken, beef or pork. There’s even spinach in these so you can feel good about getting in some veggies! Real, full fat cheese are used in these (at still only 4 WW Points+ per muffin that seemed worth it to me) but if you want to lighten them up further you could use reduced fat cheeses. These are made with sharp white cheddar and Gruyere but feel free to get creative and use any of your favorite cheeses instead! 

Super Easy Healthy Cranberry Raisin Cookies

A great way to conquer your sweet tooth is with these super yummy and super soft cookies! Although there is no sugar added, they taste as if there is! 

Ingredients:

• 3 mashed bananas (ripe)
• 1/3 cup unsweetend apple sauce 
• 1/4 cup almond milk (used unsweetened) 
• 2 cups oats 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins or both!
• 1 tsp vanilla for taste 
• 1 tsp cinnamon

 Mix together and  drop on cookie sheet by the spoonful or make a double batch and put them in a cake pan for soft and chewy bars! 

Throw them in the oven at 325°F for 20 minutes

75 Best Snacks Under 50 Calories

I swear...it seems like FOREVER to me between meals - yes....I really like to eat - I think it's the whole needing to chew on something - I haven't really pin-pointed that out yet and I really don't buy snack foods because snack foods to me are Ho-Ho's and Ding Dongs and Twinkies.......OH MY!  So I went on a hunt for some low calorie snacks and compiled this list, because I'm sure I'm not the only one this happens to! 

Red (Strawberry), White (Chocolate), and Blue (Blueberry) Nachos

These wonderful and beautiful snack is not gonna last long at your next BBQ!
Fresh flour tortillas are quick to cook up in a pan and produce unbelievably flaky chips when baked. This exquisitely flavored Italian cream cheese is worth the money. Slather it on cinnamon-sugar, baked flour tortilla chips. Then top with fresh fruit and white chocolate shavings for a snack or dessert that will start a celebration in your mouth. If you can’t find Mascarpone, substitute softened and sweetened cream cheese, or whipped cream cheese. For us calorie watchers we can use yogurt cheese or a low-fat Swiss cheese.

Triple-Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

 Fill your wrappers with pizza toppings, bake, and chew -- you'll never go back to those frozen things from Totino's... 

The 20 Best Snacks for Kids

When it comes to kids, I think they are precious but I don't have any at this time in my life (because I like to give them back to their parents lol ) but that's okay because I'm sure a lot of my readers do and I want to make sure that their little cherubs, devils, or heathens are taken care of health wise too!! So with that being said, I found this little article in Parents Magazine and thought it could be helpful to some of you who are struggling with picky eaters or for those of you who just need some inspiration or creativity in some snack foods for your kids.

Fruity Salsa

Your kids will love this fruity combination of tomatoes, cantaloupe, apples, and a hint of lime. If you want to tone down the heat, use just one seeded jalapeno or none at all. Packed with lycopene from the tomato, vitamins A and C from the melon, and fiber from the apple, this healthy and delicious snack is a big winner.  

After School Dip

Raisins have a lot of good things going for them such as fiber, potassium, and vitamins. Even if your picky eaters aren't going for a handful of raisins out of the box, here is a super yummy raisin snack they won't be able to pass up. Kids will love to dip and swirl apple wedges or carrot sticks for a healthy and delicious scoop of creamy covered raisins.

Ham and Cheese Crepes

 These little breakfast wonders will have your kids lining up at the stove for more!! Make a bunch and freeze them for the week! 

Nutty Fruit and Popcorn Mix

There is no end to the possibilities and options with this great mix. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 package (6 to 7 cup yield) plain microwave popcorn (I have an air popper so I use that with butter flavored cooking spray instead of real butter or oils) 
• Nonstick cooking spray 
• 2 - 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or you can use the popcorn seasoning like white cheddar which only has 2 calories per 1/4 teaspoon) it comes in a bazillion different flavors. 
• 2 cups potato sticks (optional) 1 1/2 cups peanuts or almonds (or roasted Edamame - find it in the health food section) 
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit 

Directions:   Pop popcorn according to package directions. Pour popcorn into a very large bowl; coat lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle popcorn with Parmesan cheese; toss gently to coat. Stir in potato sticks, peanuts, and dried fruit.

source: Parents

Confetti Yogurt Pops

These are sooo pretty!!  You can use whatever kind of fruit that you want and for a little extra health kick, use a whole wheat pretzel stick instead of the white flour ones.  Make sure you give this to your child with a bowl and spoon too because if they lick it to hard, the pretzel might break and we don't want any body crying cuz their popsicle is on the floor! 

All you need are 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt ( or you can use toddler yogurt - less sugar) 1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries) 5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers .  To Make It,  gently stir together the yogurt and fruit in a large bowl. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. (Dixie cups would be great!)  Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving. These will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

Source: Parents 

Peanut Butter and Raspberry Pops

This sweet treat has plenty of protein and fiber

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt 
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk 
• 2 - 4 tablespoons honey, divided 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries 
• 2 cups raspberry juice or raspberry juice blend 
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional) 

To make these yummy frozen delights:

1. Combine peanut butter, yogurt, milk, 2 tablespoons honey, and vanilla in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Pour peanut-butter mixture into eight 6- to 7-ounce paper cups or pop molds until they're one-third full. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Cover and chill remaining peanut-butter mixture until needed.
3. Stir together raspberries and juice, divide among the cups or molds, and insert sticks. Cover and freeze for an hour. Then fill with remaining peanut-butter mixture and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm.
4. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes before unmolding. If you want, spoon honey around the rims and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Recipe adapted from Parents Magazine Online  Photo by Emily Brooke Sandor. 

Rueben Potato Skins

okay..okay... I know...I know...this is SUPPOSED to be a blog about HEALTHY foods BUT....I saw these fabulous looking little things sitting on a web page and they looked so lonely and I thought I just HAD to share it with you guys! Besides....ONE little tater skin never killed anyone right?? 

(yes, that's my excuse to eat one!) 

Homemade Fruit Popsicles

 HOMEMADE FRUIT POPSICLES!! YUM YUM YUM! 

These easy peasy popsicles are bursting with fruity yumminess - All you have to do is pour some Capri Sun (whatever flavor you like best) into a popsicle mold, then add your favorite cut up fresh fruit then freeze! These would be great for the kids and a great conversation treat for that summer BBQ! 

Cucumber Feta Rolls

These fun and easy little cucumber rolls are a sinch to whip up. These would be great little appetizers or just eat a few for a healthy lunch! You could even use the filling for a great veggie dip! 

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

If you can't tell, I've been on a Parmesan Cheese kick lately..I can't help it, I'm a HUGE cheese fan and being on a diet, it isn't easy giving it up. I've noticed that when I use the parmesan cheese, a little goes a long way. I just need to be able to taste it!! 

Zucchini Cakes

 These are one of those hearty comfort food items that I just cannot live with out! 

Greek Quesadillas

Makes 4 Inspired by Better Homes and Gardens Notes: Feel free to use whatever quantities desired of the ingredients below, and substitute or omit ingredients according to your own preferences! These healthy ingredients would also be great in a spinach wrap or a Pita Bread

Homemade Fruit Leather

As I was growing up...who am I kidding..I STILL love fruit Roll-ups and I had this sudden craving for one so I went on a hunt and I found this recipe on Georgia Pellegrini's web site and fell in love! Make sure you check her page out cuz she shows step-by-step pictures of how to do this! I love that she calls it Fruit Leather!!