Swimsuit Slim Down

The Early Bird Gets the Worm  Bikini-Body
At this very moment, it is snowing... and I am freezing! But, that doesn't mean that my mind isn't focused on getting a beach-ready body! Starting a healthy eating and exercise regimen well before the summer months gives me a little breathing room - which I love! I hate the "pressure" that swim suit season brings, and I certainly don't want to embrace crash dieting just to shed a couple of pounds before a day by the pool. So, I'm starting now - you should too!

Dr. Oz Swimsuit Slimdown Drink

Your Secret Swimsuit Weapon
I don't know about you guys, but I love Dr. Oz. His show is so informative, and is always packed with healthy little tips and tricks! I feel like his advice is my secret fitness weapon - I take it and run with it! 

Unlike other "detox" drinks, the Dr. Oz Swimsuit Slimdown Drink is tasty, awesome, and actually works. Plus, you can whip it up using ingredients that you probably already have laying around your kitchen!

Here's What You'll Need:

• 1 Cup Grapefruit Juice
• 2 Tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tsp. honey

How it Works
Apple cider vinegar is a known fat-burner - it helps to break down fat cells, and encourages proper digestion. Just drink it three times per day before every meal, and watch as the fat melts off!  

Follow my Nutrish & Delish Board on Pinterest to get access to all of my favorite recipes, health tips, and fitness tricks!

Cheesy Zucchini Bake

I've been all about zucchini these days. I put it on the side of everything, and I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate it into a dish! It's great! Here's one of my newest favorites that I am totally in love with: The Cheesy Zucchini Bake. You're probably thinking I'm off my rocker if I'm going to call this dish a healthy one, but I kid you not, folks: this dish is as healthy as it gets! You'll love it :)

Here's What You'll Need to Get Cooking:
3 Medium Zucchinis
3 Medium Squash
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon of Dried Minced Onion
1 Teaspoon of Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon of Garlic Salt
2 Teaspoons of Dried Thyme
4 Eggs (Substitute Egg Beaters for a lighter option)
2/3 Cups of Light Sour Cream
1 Cup of Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 Cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Let's Get Cookin'
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Slice zucchini and squash into 1/4" slices (if spears are too large, cut them down the middle first).
3. Heat oil in a large, nonstick frying pan.
4. Saute and stir squash, zucchini, garlic, onion, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, and thyme until squash softens slightly. Remove from heat. Be sure not too cook it too long, or the veggies will become mushy when baking in the oven.
5. Beat together eggs (or Egg Beaters), sour cream, cheeses, and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl.
6. Place half of the sauteed squash and zucchini mixture into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste.
7. Spread half of egg mixture over top of sauteed zucchini and squash in casserole dish.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the remaining ingredients.
9. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling. Serve hot!
10. Enjoy!

 Find this recipe, and all of my favorite recipes, on my Nutrish & Delish board on Pinterest! Happy Cooking :)

85 Calorie Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I don't know about you guys, but there is nothing that I love more than cruising Pinterest for a delicious recipe that I can make healthy. Well, last week, I found one that takes the cake (no pun intented). I found a way to make strawberry cheesecake cupcakes that have no butter, eggs, oil, or any of that other celulite enhancing garbage! All you'll need to whip up these tasty treats is 4 things:

1 box of Pillsbury Strawberry Cake Mix
1 tub of Fat Free Cool Whip
1 box of Instant Sugar Free Cheesecake Pudding
12 ounces of Diet Cherry 7-Up

Now, Here's What You Do:
1. Empty contents of cake mix into large mixing bowl. Add 12 ounces of Diet Cherry 7-Up, and mix well with electric mixer.

2. Once everything is mixed, resist all temptation to eat the batter. This is, without a doubt, the toughest part of the entire process. However, licking the spoon is highly encouraged. :)

3. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan, and fill approximately 5/8 full of batter.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, and let them cool for at least 30-45 minutes before adding the icing.

5. While you're waiting for those puppies to cool, start whipping up your cheesecake icing!

6. Empty contents of Fat Free Cool Whip and Instant Sugar Free Pudding mix into a medium sized mixing bowl, and stir until everything is well blended. There should be no powder left over from the pudding mix.

7. Once your cupcakes are compeltely cooled, you may add the icing. When making them for Daniel and I to eat at home, I just used a spoon to add the icing. But, when taking them to a BBQ last weekend, I put the icing in zip-lock bag and snipped the bottom corner so that the icing would look a bit prettier.

Gettin' Cutesy
For an added touch of cuteness, I sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles, and handmade some chocolate designs to place on top of the cupcakes. They looked great! You can skip them, but they only add about 15 extra calories, so I figured, why not?!

As you can see, my soon-to-be Nephew was REALLY enjoying the cupcakes ;)

A Crowd Pleaser!
Here's the best part: nobody knows they are healthy! People were going to town on them, and then confessing to me that they felt guilty about how they are going to have to do double time at the gym to burn them off. When I told them that each cupcake is less than 100 calories, they couldn't believe it! They were so moist and delicious, I even had my future Father-in-Law impressed :)

Find this recipe, and all of my favorite healthy recipes, on my Nutrish & Delish board on Pinterest!

Cooking With Greek Yogurt

Hey everyone! I’m so sorry that it has been so long since my last post; I’ve been all over the place lately! But, now that I am back in the swing of things, I am super excited to share a healthy little secret with you: Greek yogurt.

Well, as you all know, I’m a huge fan of healthy food that tastes unhealthy. In fact, it’s the only kind of healthy food I’ll eat. So, when I heard about the art of cooking with Greek yogurt, I was skeptical to say the least.

Simple Substitutions

Okay, I know you’re probably thinking that you know all about using it in place of traditional yogurt, and you’re totally right, but did you know that Greek yogurt can be used to create a mouthwatering cheesy pasta dish?! Didn’t think so… But, you heard me right! Simply swap in Greek yogurt with your favorite seasonings in place of a calorie packed cream or Alfredo sauce, and you’ve got yourself a delicious substitution that nobody will even notice. 
 
Conversion Chart
If you're worried about getting the recipe just right, don't be! Keep this conversion chart handy in the kitchen, and you'll be up to professional status in no time!

How unhealthy does this healthy Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo look? ;-)

To try out this healthy cooking phenomenon for myself, I gave it the ultimate test: I made Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo for Daniel and I to have for dinner. As he was approaching the stove top for seconds, I decided to let him in on my Greek yogurt secret. He had no idea!

 
The Best of the Best

Blueberry Banana Bread

Here’s a list of a few of my favorite Greek yogurt recipes that taste like the real deal:

• Creamy Tortellini With Mint & Smoked Paprika Oil
• Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chicken Breast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Greek Yogurt Biscuits
• GreekYogurt Ranch Dressing & Dip



Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chicken Breast

• Savory Lemon Chicken

• Cheesecake with Peaches & Honey 
• Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Pancakes 
• Blueberry Banana Bread

Think those sound good? That’s just the tip of the iceberg! On my Nutrish and Delish board on Pintrest, I feature a TON of amazing Greek yogurt recipes that are simply divine. Also, all of my favorite recipes are listed under the My Favorite Recipes tab above. Who would have thought that cooking healthy could be so simple and tasty?

Bye-Bye Flab, Hello Fab!

As most of my readers know, I have lost 100 pounds as the result of a complete lifestyle change, and I’m feeling great, healthy, and happy! However, this past weekend I slipped my new body into a swim suit (a bikini even, yikes!) for the first time in a very, very long time, and I must say, I wasn’t nearly as comfortable as I hoped I would be.

Sure, I am exactly where I want to be size and weight wise, but my body is in definite need of some toning. I don’t know about you guys, but I have some serious arm and thigh flab to address. Maybe I’m totally nuts, but something tells me that arm fat shouldn’t flap in the breeze. Am I right?! 

I'd Really like to go from This....

To This. Think I can do it?!

Well, to send my arm flab packing, I’ve decided that instead of placing my main focus only on weight loss and healthy eating, I’m going to extend my focus to include something totally new: toning exercises.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I am a complete weakling; thank goodness I have a strong boyfriend to carry heavy things for me, or I would be in a world of trouble. I’ve done some researching, and I think I’ve found the perfect resource to get my flabby butt into a tightly toned physique: Beachbody Workouts.

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Whoa, Kate! Take it easy! Beachbody is the makers of those super hardcore P90X2 and Insanity workout programs.” Well, you’re exactly right! If I’m going to get toned up, I’m not going to mess around; which is precisely why I am opting for Beachbody workouts; I only want the best. 

Allow Me To Introduce You To My New Best Friend, Beachbody!

I’ve never tried Beachbody's ever so popular P90X2 or Insanity workout programs, but I have always wanted to. And not just because everyone I talk to who completes these programs undergo a total body transformation, but because these programs actually make sense! 

Unlike other fitness plans, they don't make false promises; they tell you straight up that these programs are not the work of magic, and that they take nothing less than everything you’ve got. Since I am the type of person who gets a personal high out of challenging myself, I am confident that these programs will work wonders for my body.

Yes, I know how scary they look...Bring it on!

The best part? Beachbody has tapped into my iPhone addiction and created a P90X iPhone app that will allow me to track my reps and weight usage, view my very own customized progress reports, keep a detailed log of my nutrition, and share my results with others!

My plan is to combine P90X2 workouts with the Insanity workouts so that I’ll get maximum results. I’ll keep you informed as I begin the program, and I’ll post weekly pictures and measurements as I go through the process.

I am absolutely thrilled to start this journey, but I’m even more excited to share it with my readers. Once I complete the Insanity and P90X2 workout programs, who knows what kind of fitness goals I’ll be able to achieve? But, I can’t wait to find out!

Healthy Summer Recipes

Hey everyone! Well, summer is here and you know what that means: patio dinners, picnics in the park and, of course, some tasty adult beverages. Now, before you start thinking that you can’t do ANY of this because you don’t want to blow your healthy eating plan, think again. I’m here to share my favorite healthy (and freaking amazing) summer dishes with you! So, sit back, enjoy, and start soaking in all of this summery goodness!

Grilled Steak & Chicken Kabobs – Oh my, I don’t quite have the words for these tasty treats, but let’s just say you can eat a few of them and not feel one ounce of guilt! This recipe is pretty easy, simply marinate/season your meat in your favorite flavor, slap it on a skewer with some yummy vegetables, cook until it’s done, and then voila! It’s done! But, for those of you who are like me and require a recipe to follow, check out this link:

Scallop Tacos – I don’t know about you, but I absolutely adore seafood and everything about it. So, what better way to enjoy it than by putting it in tacos, right?! Check out this recipe for scallop tacos; you won’t be disappointed!

Whole Grain Pasta Primavera – Just because I’ve lost 100 pounds doesn’t mean that I’ve lost my pasta cravings. Seriously, I eat pasta at every chance I get, and pride myself on my ability to make it healthy! At least two nights a week you can find me in the kitchen whipping up a healthy pasta creation that weighs in around 210 calories, but tastes every bit of 1700 calories. This whole grain pasta primavera recipe does exactly that! Pair this delicious dish with a side of fruit salad and a guilt-free cocktail, and you’ve got yourself the perfect little summer dinner!

Mini Sweet-Zza’s – Just because you’re eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to send your sweet tooth packing; embrace your sweet tooth! You’d be amazed at how easy it is to make your favorite calorie packed dessert into a healthy treat. These mini sweet-zza’s are no different; they take the idea of pizza and use it as inspiration for this healthy little snack. Serve these adorable little desserts at your next barbeque, and you’re sure to become everyone’s favorite host. 

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps – Hate eating your vegetables? Not anymore! These zucchini parmesan crisps make eating your vegetables so freaking good, you’ll swear you’re eating French fries. I never used to like zucchini until I discovered a way to make it taste like it’s been deep fried in oil and cheese. But, who can blame me?!

These are just a few of my favorite healthy summer recipes; if you want to find out more of my must have dishes, follow me on Pintrest, or check out my Nutrish & Delish board, here!

Happy Summer, Everyone!